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In a country caught in the grips of an educational crisis, the Eastern Cape presents itself as the locale of some of the worst examples of the consequences of the crisis. At best it has managed only achieve matric results 20% worse than the next worst province in the country.

But the news is not all bad.

The Eastern Cape, in particular, has long been a source of leaders – Sisulu, Mbeki, Tambo, Biko, Sobukwe, Mandela and many others – and the situation is not that poor education is simply a fact of Eastern Cape living. In fact, some of the schools in the Queenstown district are amongst the top in the country –Queens College, Queenstown Girl’s High School, Hoërskool Hangklip. We firmly believe that the route out of poverty and inequality is a quality education. By sending deserving young men (and women) to an excellent school, we are giving them the opportunity to receive such a quality education, and thus provide them with the chance of a lifetime, and hope to the community.

The ultimate aim is to use these schools as the fulcrum around which to drive up the standards and quality of education in the whole district.

This is the Vision of the Queenstown Education Foundation.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES of the Queenstown Education Foundation

To transform education in the Queenstown district by elevating the standards and by improving the quality of learning and teaching throughout the community from pre-school to PhD.

To give deserving young men and women the opportunity to receive a quality education, and thus provide them with the chance of a lifetime. This is our key objective.

The 1965Ride cycle tour is part of this broader vision to support the development of the schools and to provide talented youngsters with the opportunity of a lifetime – a good education

It is also part of an initiative to publicise the vision and activities of the Foundation in order to garner support to extend its activities

To encourage cyclists from other cities and towns in South Africa to undertake similar tours in support of education in Queenstown

The 1965Ride is an 850km cycle tour between Johannesburg and Queenstown to raise funds for an educational scholarship and bursary fund for deserving students at quality schools.

The cyclists are all amateur volunteers who believe strongly that the most important priority in our country is to improve education. They all raise their own sponsorships to support this initiative.

HISTORY OF THE 1965RIDE

The first 1965Ride took place in April 2011, with five cyclists riding the full distance and almost 100 completing it (we were joined by additional cyclists en route, with many learners, teachers and others from the Queenstown community joining the tour on the last day).

In 2012 the group doubled in size and 10 completed the whole distance.

A group of five walkers joined the fund-raising efforts in the Walk-the-Walk campaign – they each walked over 100km in four days. This was the first year that we had cyclists and sponsors supporting other schools.

2013, the third year of the journey, had 14 cyclists completing the whole journey.

20 cyclists, the biggest tour to date, completed the distance in 2014.

In 2015 we were back to 13 cyclists, in 2016 7 cyclists braved the distance and the weather and in 2017 we had 8 cyclists working for education.

FUND RAISING EFFORTS TO DATE

It is more important, though, to emphasise the fact that the cycle tour is merely a vehicle to raise funds for the support of talented children. To this end we are proud of the fact that to date we have raised about R5 million for this purpose.

A minimum threshold sponsorship of R30 000 per cyclist has helped to drive this campaign and the money it has already raised.

Sponsorships have come from as far afield as the USA and the Netherlands as well as from generous local individual and corporate supporters.

Sponsorship from companies has included cycling kit, the use of vehicles as support vehicles, a bike trailer, insurance for the support vehicles, a video-documentaries (generously sponsored by GM Chevrolet) and energy supplements and drinks.

For further information, sponsorship opportunities or to sign up for the Ride, please contact: Tony on tony@1965ride.co.za